Republik Moldau

The Council appointed Kirsten Joppe as new Head of Mission for the European Union Partnership Mission in Moldova (EUPM Moldova). She will take up her duties on 25 April 2026, taking over from Cosmin Dinescu. Kirsten Joppe is a German governance expert and international advisor with over two decades of experience in peace operations and human rights.

Vlad Plahotniuc, once Moldova's richest man, has been sentenced to 19 years in jail in a banking fraud case known in the country as the "theft of the century". Plahotniuc was found guilty of partaking in the 2014-15 fraud which involved $1bn (£748m) - at the time 12% of Moldova's total GDP.

The Council decided today to extend EU restrictive measures against those responsible for actions aimed at destabilising, undermining or threatening the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Moldova, until 29 April 2027. EU restrictive measures currently apply to a total of 23 individuals and 5 entities.

Addressing the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe today, the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, warned that Europe faces two wars: Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; and an equally dangerous, less visible hybrid war involving disinformation, cyberattacks, and external interference in European democracies.

Should Maia Sandu, the president of Moldova, be taken seriously when she declares her support for unification with Romania? "If we have a referendum, I would vote for the unification with Romania," she said in an interview with the British podcast The Rest Is Politics on Monday, January 12.

Following the victory of pro-EU forces in Moldova’s parliamentary elections this fall, the European Union has increasingly been pushing Chișinău to work on reintegrating the breakaway region of Transnistria. This month, the EU ambassador to Moldova, Iwona Piorko, made it clear that Brussels does not intend to divide the country’s EU integration into two stages, with the issue of Transnistria’s integration into the EU being resolved at a later date to that of the rest of the country.

Moldova has added new Viktor mobile anti‑aircraft units to its arsenal, signaling a push to improve readiness as drone incursions from across the border become more frequent.

In November 2025 alone, eight Russian drones entered Moldova's airspace. One of them came down on a building near the Ukrainian border. Although it wasn't carrying explosives, it caused fear and curiosity in the community. … As the threat to Moldova grows, both the authorities and security experts warn that Moldova still lacks the capacity to defend itself against drone attacks. 

Moldova’s diverse and multi-lingual media face multiple challenges, including restrictions based on vague national legislation, penalties that are unwarranted and fail to follow due process, harassment, as well as direct reporting restrictions in Russian-occupied Transnistria, Amnesty International said in a new report published today.

Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said on Monday he would not seek a new term, paving the way for a new head of government following the pro-Western governing party's victory in a parliamentary election.